Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1887-03-16
A LOST OPPORTUNITY
BY MRS. BARRETT.

A LOST OPPORTUNITY.
BY MRS. BARRETT.
A solitary figure, with few lines of
comclincss or grace John Hollaway sat
upon the meadow gate, looking off into
the distance. He was whispering softly.
yet he seemed to be in q deep rcvcric,
for his great, tender eyes had a far away
expression in their brown depths as lie
gazcd out over the sunlit meadows
where the blood-rcd clover and the
golden buttcrcups swayed under the
soft, corcssing breeze. Suddenly an
imperous voice broke the silence:
"NIr. IIollaway, please let me take
down the bars. Pm in hurry, and
came the shortest way"
The young man started; he had not
heard her approach, and there beside
him stood the very object of his
thoughts.
All, clover blooms and buttcrcups
palcd were your charms now! A little,
graceful figure in the dainticst of cam
brio dresses, and underneath the wide
hat sweet, girlish face with vclvcty,
peach tinted checks, and eyes as blue as
freshly gathered violcts. Such was Lily
Lawrence, the pretticst girl-so the pop
ular verdict ran--in all the country
round. A flush rose to Johns sun
Drowned face as he quickly rose and
began to take down the bars.
"Out for a walk, Miss LiyN
eyes" very briefly.
$50 you are fond Of quiet strollsl l
am, too"
Lily drew herself up, and looked at
the prcsumptuous speaker.
"Rcally, Mr.. Holiaway, l don't see
what it is to you---"
Then she stopped. She did not mean
to be rude, but truly she thought to
herself, it was high time she should
show this young man that his openly
expressed admiration was exceedingly
distastelul to her. 1t had been going
on for some time, and everyone, even
Lily herself, had come to sec that the
sun rose and set for John Hollaway
where she was.
Gle must be intensely stupid not to
know how utterly indifferent | am to
him." she thought.
But John was not stupid. He under
stood the unfinished sentence, and as he
drew back without another word to let
her pass, Lily saw that he did, and a
shame.faced, compunctious look stole
into her eyes. For, from the richest to
the poorest, everyone acknowledged
John Holaway's noble sterling charac-
ter.
Lily walked slowly along the road,
half determined to turn back and apollo
gizc for her rudcncss, until turn
brought her face to face with someone
whose handsome eyes met her own with
snch glad welcome that all other
thoughts were for the time driven COM
pletey away.
1t was Richard Blake, tho most ad-
mircd and courtcd young man in the
village.
"Ah, good afternoon, Miss Lawren ce |!
was hoping l would meet YOU"
Aud the wavy black locks were barred
to the breeze as Richard courtcously
lifted his hat and wake on beside her.
Whal a contrast to John Hollaway !
And the contrast was great in many
other ways than Lily thought. But the
girl was but young to read character,
and that Richard Blake was very hand =
some and very elegant none could deny,
q lover of whom anyone might be justly
proud.
When Lily's home was reached, and
with another graceful bow Richard had
left her, she did not go directly into the
house, but fingered awhile among the
flowers that filed their little garden.
Her thoughts were very busy. She
thought that she had behaved very
unkind to her old friend, and her
memory went back to the first time she
had met him. 1t was at picnic, and
she had fallen and sprancd her ankle.
She remembered how the great fellow,
so much stronger than his mates, had
persisted in carrying her all the long
distance back to her home. Since then
he had shown In hundred ways what
she was to him, and knowing his noble
nature, perhaps her heart would have
gone out to him before this if Richard
Bake had not come back from college.
But he had, and Lily fancicd his gay,
debonair manners, and his entertaining
conversation, and like many another
young girl, had begun to take for true,
heart deep love that liking which we al
have for things pleasant to the sight.
And SO she shook off her rcproachful
feelings, and went into the house.
"Why, mother, dear, what is the mat.
tcr3 Crying, and I out enjoying my.
sclf3 Tell Inc, what is it, dcar7 Let INC
share your trouble"
Mrs. Lawrence lifted face, smiling
through her tears.
"Ycs, crying, Lily darling, but not
from grief Sit down here beside me,
and let me show you what load has
been lifted from my mind this morning.
Lily, did not tell you, but some time
ago Mr.. Burton, the lawyer, came tc
! me and informed me that tho holder OF